Tell us why you became a teacher

If you haven’t seen Matilda, I encourage you to. Every girl has a dream of having a supportive mom, and sadly that wasn’t my reality. I did however, have teachers who filled that void; my “Ms. Honey.” So living out this dream, allowed me to become that same supportive role for other students who had the same reality I had. I’d rewatch that movie over and over at my grandma’s house, and then make my brother be my student so I could pretend to be a teacher. It is my calling, and I’m so thankful!

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

Although we do so many cool academic experiences such as making edible plant and animal cells, researching people from history and dressing up in character to present, publishing a class book, and even watching Bill Nye episodes that relate to the content, the best is always when it touches the heart. My most memorable moments are those that I was able to be a listening ear to a sad child, or send them to a coat closet to stock up on clothes and food for the weekend.

What would you do with the $25,000?

Winning any sort of money would be a dream come true. As teachers, we spend so much out of pocket to ensure our kids have exactly what they need and want. First, I would give back immediately to my district, who has a high percentage of homelessness and poverty. Next, I would throw the biggest pizza party the kids could ever dream of. Next, I would purchase at least one item from each of the teachers in my school’s wish list. Lastly, I would stock my school’s food and clothing pantry.